For the Time Will Come

“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own lusts, desiring to hear pleasant things, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to myths.” 2nd Timothy 4:3-4

The apostasy of the Church did not happen overnight, nor was it done in the dark. There has always been false religions throughout the world, just as there are today. The original Church did not have a institutional name attached to it, but was simply defined as a body of Believers, disciples of Jesus Christ.

“Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually.” 1st Corinthians 12:27

People simply do not want the truth and the world makes it just too easy to go along with the lie. Constantly our education system teaches children humanistic values, evolution theories and sways around from allowing discussion regarding on whether or not there is a God. They go so far that they actually teach children about other religions found throughout the world, including their holy days, practices and suggesting that the children should find one, if any, that fits their desire.

Growing up I went to a lackluster churches that did not have a zeal for following God’s truths, for loving Christ and living a life that was fully obedient to Him. There were compromises on every level in the church. The music was not honoring to God, the activities for the youth group were more geared to entertainment than learning about God and the majority of the congregation, not all, were there out of social obligation and personal gain. This, however, was what the people wanted.

The people did not want to hear the truth, they did not want to hear sermons that were truly given to the pastor from the Holy Spirit, ones that convicted their hearts. They heard want they wanted to hear. In today’s society the remaining strongholds of Churches that still hold true to God’s Word are shattering one by one and joining the apostate ranks. This reminds me of Jesus’s words:

“Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?” Luke 18:8b

There are many false religions out there that lead many people astray and ultimately, if they do not realize it, repent and believe into Jesus Christ, to Hell. The Roman Catholic Church, Hindus and Muslims alone, all false religions, claim to have over 4.4 billion followers. Right there is way over half the world’s population following a false religion, to say nothing of spiritualism, Jehovah Witnesses, Mormons, Seventh Day Adventists and many others. This is only more complicated when the institutional Christian organizations are considered.

There are many different venues of Christianity, which one is correct? There are Apostolic, Assembly of God, Baptist (American, GARBC, General Conference, Independent, Non-Affiliated, Southern), Bible, Christian, Disciples of Christ, Christian & Missionary Alliance, Christian Science, Church of Christ, Church of God (including Cleveland-Tennessee), Community, Episcopal, Evangelical, Evangelical-Free, Foursquare Gospel, Independent, Lutheran (ELCA, LCA, Missouri Synod), Mennonite, Methodist-United, Nazarene, Non-Denominational, Pentecostal, Pentecostal United, Presbyterian (Presbyterian in America, PCA, USA), Reformed, Religious Science, Salvation Army, Unitarian, Unitarian Universalist, United Pentecostal — just to name a few. So if someone really says that they want to learn about God, they want to follow God, they want to associate with a group of Believers, becoming a Believer into Jesus Christ, where or how does one decide which Church to attend?

All things must be weighed against the Holy Scriptures(Acts 17:11). While most mainstream denominations can quickly be erased off of the list of acceptable, even the more conservative biblical churches are a church by church basis. If the church does not have believers in it or a truly godly pastor, then of what use is it to attend?

“And I heard another voice from Heaven saying, Come out of her, my people, so that you not share in her sins, and so that you not receive of her plagues.” Revelation 18:4

As we get closer and closer to“the time of Jacob’s trouble” (Jer. 30:7), more commonly known as the Tribulation or Great Tribulation, things are simply going to get worse and worse. The Holy Scriptures states the following:

“But evil men and pretenders will grow worse and worse, leading astray and being led astray.” 2nd Timothy 3:13

“And as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man: They ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. Likewise as it was also in the days of Lot: They ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built; but on the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all. Even in the same way will it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed. In that day, he who will be on the housetop, and his goods are in the house, let him not come down to take them away. And likewise the one who is in the field, let him not return back. Remember Lot‘s wife. Whoever seeks to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it. I tell you, in that night there will be two in one bed: the one will be taken and the other will be left. Two will be grinding together: the one will be taken and the other left. Two will be in the field: the one will be taken and the other left. And they answered and said to Him, Where, Lord? And He said to them, Wherever the body is, there the eagles will be gathered together.” Luke 17:26-37

If you are reading this and the world has already entered the Great Tribulation, then you need to understand something very clearly. At the very moment that the Rapture happened, there were no more true Christians left in the world, the Lord Jesus took them to be with Him. So while multitudes will be Saved throughout this time, understand that you no longer have to guess or wonder which church might speak the truth, all of the godly pastors and Believers are gone, there are NONE to chose from. If you believe into Christ during this time period and find other Believers, you may very well find it useful to do what the original disciples did after Jesus rose from the dead and went to sit at the Father’s right hand, churches that are in Christian’s homes(Acts 2:46; 20:20).

“After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one was able to number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, saying, Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” Revelation 7:9-10

So what about the Rapture? As this is written in 2016, nearly 2017, more and more churches and those who call themselves Christians are getting away from what is referred to as the pre-tribulation Rapture. They are either for mid-tribulation or a post-tribulation Rapture theory, the post theory being by far the most popular, of course there are other theories out there. What the Holy Scriptures clearly teaches is that the Rapture (the term coined for our Lord Jesus appearing to gather us to Himself) happens -before- the Tribulation. Below is a list of verses that teach this truth and though there are naysayers that have arguments against such truth, understand that those who are reading this book or the articles found online after the Rapture will understand clearly whether what God’s Word teaches or man’s theories is true. I am absolutely certain that God’s truth will prevail, though I only have sorrow that so many people will have been led astray by such a deception.

“Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together at the same time with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.” 1st Thessalonians 4:17

“looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ”… Titus 2:13

“Hereafter, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all the ones loving His appearing.” 2nd Timothy 4:8

“Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed; in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.” 1st Corinthians 15:51-52

“For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that whether we watch or sleep, we should live together with Him.” 1st Thessalonians 5:9-10

“Because you have kept the Word of My perseverance, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.” Revelation 3:10

“And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.” John 14:3

Will the deception end there? I strongly suspect no. I’ve heard numerous things that those evil powers that control this world will purport against those who have been Left Behind. The deception will be great and they will likely try to undermine the Event, by telling even more lies, perhaps lies that many would like to believe, so that they might deceive themselves that they have not been Left Behind. Yet I would ponder that as time goes on, those who are still alive would understand that indeed the Rapture had taken place as other events unfold that are known among some of the general public in certain forms to take place. Don’t believe the media and officials if they tell you that aliens have invaded or abducted many people, research Project Blue Beam to see just how great the deception could be, including the use of holographic images by those in power to deceive even further the majority of mankind that will have been Left Behind. Let me end with a VERY strong warning to those who are reading this prior to the Rapture having taken place.

If you know the full true Gospel, fully understanding and believing, yet you refuse to repent and believe into Jesus Christ, do not think that you will suddenly be able to quickly come to the Lord during this time. The Holy Scriptures says otherwise:

“The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who are perishing, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12

“Do not be led astray, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.” Galatians 6:7

For those of you with this mindset, I can only say the following:

“For He says: In an acceptable time I have heard you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you. Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” 2nd Corinthians 6:2